Death Becomes Her
by Bronzehyperion
Summary: As daughter and assistant of a mortician Bella Swan is surrounded by death. The return of an old lover forces her to choose between spending her time with death or living forever. AU.   Part of Countdown to 2012 Farewell to 2011: A Mystical Hallows Eve


**Disclaimer: Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. All intellectual properties associated with this one shot belong to thhe author: Bronzeyhperion. Plagiarism is theft. No copying or reproduction of any of these works is permitted without expressed written authorization. Thank you.**

**This oneshot is a part of the** **Countdown to 2012 Farewell to 2011 **

**A Mystical Hallow's Eve - 2011**

**Category: Fright Night**

**Pairing: Bella & Edward**

* * *

><p><strong>DEATH BECOMES HER<strong>

He was a handsome man, no one would argue that. His cheek bones were defined but not hollowed out and angled too sharply; his lips were ruby-red but not in a looks-like-he's-wearing-make-up kind of way.

His jaw was chiseled and extremely lickable but it would be quite bizarre if she did just that, considering his position and hers. It would be odd and some might even say disgusting. And she wouldn't want to cause a scene.

His eyes were obscured but then she didn't really care to see them; she was more interested in studying his face.

Bella needed to know every feature, every pore and every imperfection before she could start her work.

She had learned not to care for the eyes because they were empty.

Dead.

The body was cold and the soul normally reflected in someone's eyes was long gone.

All Bella could do was to make someone look like they were when they were alive. Make them look like they were sleeping.

It was all a day's work.

See, Bella's father was an undertaker. A mortician. And Bella was his assistant.

Her father went through the stages of undertaking, like embalming and such, while Bella focused on the cosmetics and dressing. She also assisted in the meetings with the families and the administrative tasks during the actual funeral.

Bella stared at the object of her scrutiny again. His skin was usually pale. Most people who looked that pale were dead.

But he looked quite alive. People were circling around him as he shook hands and accepted condolences. There was an edge to him that much she could tell. People wanted to be in his vicinity but at the same time they sort of shied away from him, not knowing how to behave. Bella didn't know what his role in this particular party was; he had never attended any of the meetings Bella and her father did when they met with the family of the deceased, so she had to assume he was perhaps a friend, given the attention he was receiving.

The irony of that didn't escape her.

Bella sighed. He was such an enigma. Not the type to have close friends. And yet, there he stood, in his full glory.

The life of the party. More irony.

"Bells, are you dillydallying again?"

She turned to see her father's other employee Jacob Black standing behind her, observing the crowd. At twenty-six he was three years older than her. His father Billy was her father's best friend. Billy Black was also the town's sheriff.

"I'm just observing; making sure everything is going right," she argued, rolling her eyes because Jacob was always meddling in her business when he should be focusing on his own. "And I prefer to be called Bella."

"Right, and observing means you're ogling Mike Newton's boss?" Jacob shrugged, ignoring Bella's admonishment about her name.

Boss?

Since when was he…

How was he?

"He must feel guilty Mike died during a work related team building event," Jacob explained, interrupting Bella's musings. "Guess boss-man wanted to make sure no one blames him by doing the sociable and caring thing."

Michael Newton had died tragically a week prior, during a wild water rafting expedition in the Sol Duc River. Bella had heard he worked for some sort of an investment company but to think that Lickable Jaw was his boss, that was absurd.

Sure, he looked professional in his expensive suit but there was no way anyone would guess him over twenty-five and that was stretching it. He could barely pass as a twenty-plus year old. And to think he was Michael Newton's boss, that he had actual employees he was forced to interact with, she couldn't fathom it.

"Whatcha thinking?"

"Nothing." Bella huffed. "Have you spoken to the family yet? You know how Charlie likes to keep tabs to make sure everything is as they wish."

Her father was absent today because an unfortunate bus accident had left him with two more bodies to work on, not to mention the two bodies that had been found two nights ago without explanation except for a chewed on neck.

Animal attacks weren't entirely unusual but they seemed to be more frequent again after a few years of little incidents.

Business was booming as of late.

"I spoke to Mrs. Newton, who said her son looked very handsome," Jacob sighed. "So good job on that. But I'd appreciate it if you would pay a little attention to Jessica. I think she's been hitting the mini-bar in the limo and I doubt the Newton's would appreciate if the deceased's drunken, hysterical fiancé made a spectacle of herself."

Bella sighed. "I told Tyler to empty the bar. Ugh, he never listens. I am telling his father. Again."

Tyler Crowley's father had a limo rental company that rented out limos for proms, weddings and funerals, and he usually drove them.

"You do that. Now… please tend to Jessica… before she turns this into a disaster."

"Fine."

Bella found Jessica sitting on the cream colored sofa, staring at an empty tea cup. Jessica was a pretty girl by society's standards, though Bella was convinced she wasn't 100% au natural.

Her hair was blonde but the brown-ish roots betrayed her real color. Her skin was almost as bronzed as Jacob's, but he was Native–American while she paid a tanning salon way too much money to get spray painted orange.

"Becca!" Jessica slurred as soon as she spotted Bella.

Bella sighed deeply before plastering on a demure smile and sitting next to the broken girl. She knew better than to correct her on the name. She had tried and failed too often in the past few days.

"Hello, Jessica. How are you holding up?"

Jessica lifted her head to face Bella and she noticed how bloodshot her eyes were.

She had definitely not been drinking tea.

"I miss him." The girl sobbed. "So much."

She grabbed Bella's hand and started wailing. "Why did he have to leave me? Why?"

Her cries became louder and Bella noticed how some people were starting to look their way.

So did Lickable Jaw.

Bella was shell-shocked. Star-struck. Spellbound.

His eyes with their amazing golden-honey and ochre color shone brightly and triumphantly as they held Bella's plain brown ones.

It felt like she couldn't breathe and for the first time in a long while Bella Swan found herself mesmerized by someone's eyes again.

Of course it had to be those eyes. And that face was still exceptionally handsome as well.

Bella averted her gaze as she felt her cheeks starting to burn and Jessica's hand was gripping hers with so much force it was actually starting to cramp.

She patted Jessica's hand so she could pull away hers a little and speak soothing words, hoping it would calm Michael Newton's fiancé down.

"Ssh, Jessica. It's okay," Bella murmured. "Of course you miss him."

"He was having an affair," Jessica cried as she suddenly grabbed Bella and threw herself into her paralyzed arms which awkwardly reached out to pat Jessica Stanley's back.

"There, there," was all Bella could think of to say. "There, there."

It could have been hours – it sure felt like that - but it was probably just minutes when the sound of someone delicately scraping their throat to gain attention caused Jessica to look up. She abruptly pulled away, fluffing her hair and wiping her eyes as she moved to the other side of the sofa.

"Mr. Cullen," she whispered in awe.

Bella turned and found her heart getting caught in her throat when she looked up and her eyes met those of Lickable Jaw's.

Up and close his eyes weren't golden-honey and ochre. They seemed darker than that, like caramel mixed with a hint of dark chocolate.

She knew that look. That look screamed sex.

That look made the spot in between her legs drip with want.

And he would know that.

"Ms. Stanley," he spoke softly, eliciting a small gasp from Bella who found herself in a déjà vu with the way she became instantly mesmerized by the gentle velvet like cadence of his voice. His eyes found hers for a second and Bella saw a triumphant glow in them before he refocused his attention to Jessica again

"I am so very sorry for your loss."

Now any other person would have accepted his words of kindness and comfort with a thank you and maybe a small and polite smile but Jessica Stanley, drunk as she was, decided to giggle. Her orange complexion lit up with a strange crimson glow and Bella realized the young woman was blushing. And batting her eyelashes at Mr. Cullen, Jessica Stanley looked desperate.

Flirting with someone at her fiancé's funeral. _How tacky_, Bella thought.

_All that's missing is him placing a kiss on Jessica's hand,_ she added and a small pang of jealousy hit her as she watched Lickable… Mr. Cullen smile at Jessica Stanley.

She wished he would smile at her like that which was a crazy wish because she'd spent so long trying to forget about a smile like his. But his stare not only made her weak in the knees, it also made the spot between her legs tingle and pulse.

Damn déjà vu. Why couldn't she escape this?

Escape him.

"Michael was a wonderful employee," Mr. Cullen said as he briefly took her hand and squeezed it.

Jessica gasped a little and then she giggled again. "Your hand, it's so cold."

The man said nothing. Instead, he released her hand and gave her a curt nod.

"I'm afraid I have to go," he murmured but Jessica barely noticed.

With one more nod, he turned and walked away, but in his haste a small square piece of paper fell out of the pocket of the pants of his well tailored black suit and it landed right at Bella Swan's feet.

May it be fate or a coincidence but the young brunette's life took a turn the moment she grabbed it and decided to run after the man the item belonged to.

"Mr. Cullen," she called, but the man seemed to have vanished.

"Edward," she practically yelled, this time a little more demanding.

But he was nowhere to be found.

He wasn't in the foyer and she didn't see him outside in the parking lot.

Bella stared at the item in her hand and noticed it was a white rectangle.

Flipping it over she noticed it was a business card.

_Edward A. Cullen _it read. _CEO of Cullen Enterprises._

There was a business logo that consisted of a hand, a lion and what seemed to be three clovers but Bella recognized it to be a shamrock plant.

There was a phone-number with a message scrawled underneath.

_Call me, Isabella_

* * *

><p>For a week Bella stared at the business card trying to decipher the message without having to comply with the mystifying request Edward Cullen had written on it.<p>

The sensible part of her brain advised her to toss the card out and never look back. It wasn't like she owed him anything, but unfortunately for Bella she was too intrigued to be resolute and forget about all of it entirely.

"Daydreaming again?"

Bella frowned as she watched her father prep nineteen year old Angela Weber. Her funeral would take place the day after Halloween which was oddly befitting since Angela was a devout Catholic and November 1st was All Saints Day.

And from what Bella had gathered from Ms. Weber's parents, she was truly a saint. Young Angela had just gotten back from a six month stay in Somalia where she had done missionary work.

"Sad, isn't it?" Bella's father said. "She just got back last week. She even met a guy there, in Africa, and he was going to meet her parents because they were getting serious."

"What happened?" Bella asked curiously as she stared at the deadly pale girl with light brown hair. Her face was flawless and peaceful while her neck showed two tiny puncture wounds. They looked very clean cut. Too clean cut.

Too familiar.

"Another animal attack." Charlie Swan sighed.

He was getting used to these reports from Forks' medical examiner Sam Uley. There had been seven in the past two months, but without any significant bear or coyote sightings, the monster responsible could not be taken out and so it was free to resume its attacks.

Little did Charlie Swan know that the monster responsible could not be stopped by bullets or traps.

"That's the third one in a few weeks," Bella commented. "And I hear she was found in the parking lot behind Yorkie's Clothing, so it's gotten close to the town center," she added, realizing there was a weird eagerness in her voice.

This was worrisome to say the least. See, to Bella the possibility of a different monster wreaking havoc around town, provided a strange type of melancholy.

In a sick and twisted way, she longed to come face to face with this monster, to look him in the blood red eyes because that would make it real.

Make him real. And not just a mirage from the past that had decided to leave her cryptic messages to haunt her.

"Bella," Charlie warned. "No need to speculate. Billy is working on it."

"Fine. Did the Webers give any more specifics in terms of jewelry or is it just the cross they want her to wear around her neck."

"Don't forget to place the Rosary in her hands," Charlie pointed out as he finished the surface embalming which made sure any discoloring on the skin's surface would even out. That was the final step of the embalming process.

"Right. Mrs. Weber said no make-up but she looks awfully pale, maybe some blush and lipstick would look better."

"I don't know Bells… Mrs. Weber was pretty specific about this. No make-up."

Bella stared at the young girl, her face ashen; her cheeks hollow. Her lips were cracked and looked like a blue sheen was cast on them. Even with the embalming process finished, Angela Weber still looked dead.

And while she _was_ dead, Bella felt she should look a little more… alive.

"I don't want to go against the family's wishes, Dad, but look at her. They chose an open casket and right now she looks… frightening. I've seen pictures and she was a vibrant girl. Looking like this," Bella pointed at the body, "she looks like she's been ill. It just doesn't do her justice."

"Fine," Charlie huffed. "I will call Mrs. Weber and suggest it."

Bella leaned in to kiss her father's cheek. "Thanks. Love you!"

"Yeah yeah, go on… just work on her dress and jewelry, while I make the call."

Later that afternoon, after Charlie Swan had called the Weber family to discuss Bella's suggestion and they had relented, Bella was working on giving Angela's face a little blush when Jacob waltzed in.

"Hey, Bells," the tall, dark headed guy greeted her. "Is this the Weber girl?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Her name is Angela. Darn, what is it with you and names? You put no effort in to get them straight."

Jacob shrugged. "Her name is Weber, so I got that right. Plus, what good will first names do me anyway. These people are dead."

"They matter because these are people; dead or alive. They have names and you should use them out of respect."

Jacob Black was used to the girl in front of him rambling or lecturing him. It was one of those things he kind of liked about her.

It wasn't love, mind you. Jacob Black didn't feel that way about Bella Swan. But as far as girls went, she had spunk and always spoke her mind.

Plus, she worked with dead people, that was pretty impressive. Most girls wouldn't dare to look at a corpse, let alone touch them like it was no big deal.

"Whatever you say Bells." He grinned.

"Bella. B-E-L-L-A." The girl sighed.

"Well, B-E-L-L-A, how do you feel about accompanying me to a Halloween party tomorrow night?"

Bella looked at Jacob and frowned. It was one thing they were co-workers and their dads were friends, which meant they sort of had a connection - though mostly professional and less in the familiar sense – and another to hang out at a party together. As far as Bella was concerned Jacob Back was a pain in the ass and she couldn't imagine he had pure and friendly motives when inviting her. In fact, the past had taught her that saying yes to such offers often made her the designated driver for Jacob and his buddies. And getting puke in her hair was something Bella could not deal with again.

"I feel pretty good about rejecting you," Bella quipped with confidence. "After Quil's disastrous twenty-fifth birthday party, the fact you dare to ask me is kind of insulting.

"Well." Jacob grinned, not at all impressed with Bella's bravura. "That's too bad since the party will be hosted by Edward Cullen."

* * *

><p>Edward Cullen was no fan of parties. Nor funerals for that matter.<p>

In fact, the entire concept of social engagement felt foreign to him. It was his sister Alice who adored these types of events; yes, funerals included because she was fascinated with human behavior and longed to feel connected to them.

That was why she had insisted on throwing a Halloween party which was precisely the type of gathering Edward could very much do without.

Until Alice had mentioned _her_.

Isabella Marie Swan.

While unwilling, Alice had foreseen her being here tonight. At this Halloween party. And that suddenly made this entire evening and the utterly ridiculous concept of people in costumes and the agitation of having to be in the same sphere as them and being plagued by their thoughts bearable because he could be close to Isabella.

The things he did for her. First a funeral, now a party.

She had him completely mesmerized ever since the first time he'd seen her.

**FLASHBACK**

"_Are you certain there's no one there?"_

_Edward gave his sister a stern look but she was unimpressed as usual._

"_Have I ever been wrong?" she said defiantly._

_Edward chose not to answer and focused on the task at hand._

_With the Cullen patriarch Carlisle Cullen being Forks' only medical examiner at the time, it was not unusual for him to be in contact with Charlie Swan from Swan Funeral Home._

_But what Charlie Swan didn't know was that the Cullens took a special interest in the work he did._

_As vampires, they kind of had to._

_So when dead bodies with very specific puncture wounds had started popping up, there was cause for extra alertness because it meant there were new vampires around who were less adaptable to human society._

_Understatement._

_They were vicious monsters and unlike the Cullens – who survived just fine on the blood of animals – these rogue nomads were literally out for blood._

_In a few months time they had left a trail of almost a dozen bodies, most of them people who lived in Forks._

_The high number clashed with the Cullens' desire to remain inconspicuous._

_Alice had a vision that these rogues would strike again that night at the cemetery which was situated next to the small house Charlie Swan and his daughter occupied._

_Hoping to catch these beasts_in_,_or preferablybefore,_the act, Edward and Alice were staking out on the south side of the cemetery, in the small Jewish section._

"_Are you sure?" Edward asked again._

_Alice rolled her eyes at her brother; he was truly obnoxious sometimes. Well most of the time._

_But tonight would be different. Tonight Edward Cullen would meet his soul mate._

_Of course, Alice hadn't dropped that bombshell on her brother yet. If she had, there would have been no way he would have joined her here; he would have sent Emmett or Jasper instead._

_He was so rigid when it came to finding his mate. But Alice knew her brother would never be able to resist Isabella Swan._

"_Stop reciting Shakespeare, tiny," Edward grumbled. "I am aware you're hiding something and frankly Shakespeare is tedious and melodramatic."_

"_Pff, you're such a philistine."_

_Edward rolled his eyes. Hs sister was well aware this was simply not true. He held three separate degrees in respectively English Literature, Psychology and History. He spoke several languages fluently and was a gifted pianist._

"_Philistine? Is that your word of the day, Alice?"_

"_You studied English Lit for Pete's sake, how can you call Shakespeare melodramatic?"_

_He would have responded, knowing it would lead to a heated debate with his sister, but Edward recognized the diversion Alice was trying to pull and so he kept mum, knowing her frustration would make her slip up._

_And she did mere seconds later._

_But her vision was brutally interrupted by a piercing scream that would change Edward's life forever._

**END FLASHBACK**

That night, despite her initial terror, Edward Cullen and Isabella Swan had formed an unbreakable bond.

There would never be another for her.

There would never be another for him.

Edward did not catch the monsters he and his sister had been looking for that night. Instead he'd gained an angel. An angel with porcelain skin, wild mahogany hair and chocolate eyes so deep Edward could see himself drowning in them forever. Lips that were red and full and begged him to be touched, nipped, kissed and sucked.

For twelve glorious months Edward had lost himself in the enigma that was Isabella Swan and had reveled in the pulsing electricity that connected them without words or touches. He had nurtured and cherished the invisible cord that had wrapped itself around them and pulled them together the night they met.

Edward had yearned to possess every aspect of Isabella. And she had yearned to do the same. There had been only one barrier between them and strangely enough it had not been his supernatural nature being so different from her delicate humanity.

Isabella's mind, filled with intelligence, wit and secrets that had made her blush whenever he asked about them, was closed off to Edward. He could read every mind, but not hers.

To say this had frustrated him would have been an understatement. But because Isabella never withheld anything when he asked and she gave him ownership of all of herself, Edward could live with it.

That ownership had been completely equal though. Edward owned Isabella's body and the screams of ecstasy she elicited when he buried himself inside her or made her come with the demanding touch of his hands cupping her sex. In return she brought him to his knees whenever she got on hers or when she whispered her proclamations of ownership in his ears.

She had been his. All of her.

He had been hers. Body, mind… and soul, if he'd had one.

And it was that – the absence of a soul that had torn them apart.

And maybe it was not just the absence of his soul that had ended them. Maybe it had been the monsters he'd continued to chase that had made him decide to leave her.

His words had been harsh and deceptive when he'd told her she wasn't good enough for him on the night of Halloween five years ago. Cutting and untrue they had fulfilled their purpose. Isabella had been broken and the invisible cord between them had snapped.

But as much as it had pained him, he'd had to be realistic. His world was not hers and she deserved more than dealing with the undead.

Therefore it had been an ironic surprise when Edward found out Isabella had followed in her father's footsteps and was helping him at the funeral home now, instead of earning a degree at a university.

His piqued interest was not the only reason for his return though. That would have merely given him a reason to spy on her a little until Alice and he had dealt with James and his newly formed coven.

No, after five years Edward Cullen was back in Forks to right his biggest wrong, to beg for mercy and forgiveness and claim what had been his all along.

His soul mate; Isabella Swan.

A featherlike knock on the door pulled Edward from his thoughts.

His tiny sister looked slightly absurd in her Tinker Bell outfit but he did not dare to tell her and receive a justified slapping. Besides, he was far more interested in the images she displayed for him in her mind.

Mahogany hair, chocolate eyes. Tight skirt and fuck me heels.

He could smell her. All of her. Strawberries, sunlight.

Sex.

His sister was bouncing and giddy, ready to speak words that would have made his heart speed up, had it not been dead.

"It's time… Isabella is here!"

* * *

><p>Bella had one particular thing in common with Edward Cullen; she disliked parties as much as he did. In fact, she wasn't even sure why she was here; why she had let Jacob talk her into coming with him.<p>

He was dressed as Zorro which did make him look a little ridiculous but then Bella shouldn't talk since she was currently standing in a room filled with people in a great variety of costumes where she was wearing a plain black tee, black tight and short skirt and a dark leather jacket.

The black, peep-toe heels killed her feet and the cool gushes of the October night winds had nearly given her frostbite in the short walk from Jacob's VW Rabbit to the front door of this gigantic mansion.

Not to mention those so called "fuck me" heels were more like "fuck me over" heels with their death-trap like tendencies. Bella hated the shoes that would likely have her topple over at least once or twice before the end of the night.

"I should've worn my chucks," she muttered to herself.

"Nu-uh, no ratty looking sneakers at my party," a high, bell like voice commented from behind her.

A startled Bella whirled around; the heels making her wobble until the person behind her grabbed her hand.

"Hold you ground. It's all about balance, remember."

Bella was looking at one of the most beautiful girls she'd ever seen, although girl had never been the right way to define her.

Fairy was more like it.

Tinker Bell.

The girl holding her steady wore an exact replica of what the little fairy wore in Peter Pan.

Typical.

Her face was pale white and slightly shimmering in the glowing cast of the disco lights swirling around and weaving a colorful effect on the walls.

Her lips were blood red and in contrast with her eye make-up which was subtle and barely there. But then, with those golden-honey and ochre irises, who needed any artificial enhancements?

Golden-honey and ochre.

She knew those eyes.

"Hi, Isabella. Welcome to my party!" the girl said and she sounded so happy.

"Alice…"

"…Bella," the girl relented before Bella could. "You still prefer Bella."

"I didn't know you came back as well…"

Alice pointed to her forehead. "I did," she teased. "I also know someone is very eager to see you."

With any other person declaring such a bold thing Bella would have been taken aback but this girl with her elfin like aura was undoubtedly speaking the truth.

"That's… helpful," Bella said.

"Are you enjoying the party?"

Bella wasn't certain how to answer that without insulting her host, so she kept it vague.

"It's great. I love the decorations," she said, pointing at the cob webs and the scary zombie next to the staircase she was standing under.

"Custom made. But it's not polite to lie. I know you're not having a good time… yet."

Bella stood mouth agape but before she could come up with a coherent reply the tiny Tinker Bell winked and left.

* * *

><p>Someone was eager to see her.<p>

Bella didn't have to guess to know who that was. And although she had yet to spot him in the crowd, she knew he was close. She could feel those golden-honey and ochre eyes on her. She could feel the invisible cord pull tighter and it was a matter of moments until they'd find each other again.

So it didn't come as a surprise when Bella walked up the large stairs, avoiding the drunk and groping couples making out on some of the steps like it was your average Friday night kegger, and found herself drawn to a large space to her right.

A library.

She didn't even have to feign shock when she saw him standing at the window.

The cord kept pulling until she was right beside him. Right where she belonged.

"We meet again."

His voice still held the same fire and ice intonation. Velvet and sandpaper.

Bella didn't say a word. Instead she took the time to look at him, really look at him.

He hadn't changed. Frozen at seventeen forever. His hair was still that odd bronze color and while he seemed casual in his jeans and button down, he looked like a model. Gorgeous.

"You didn't call," he said, his voice accusing.

That shook Bella out of her reverie and ruffled her feathers.

"Why would I call?" she asked, her chin high and voice defiant. The idea that she owed the man who had crushed her anything was preposterous and it angered her.

Edward chuckled darkly. "Because you wanted to."

She hated how well he knew her, especially when he had no right to flaunt it.

She also hated how all these questions bubbled up inside her. There were things she wanted, _needed,_ to know.

"Why are you back?"

"I have my reasons."

"Very cryptic."

"You have followed in your dad's footsteps."

His voice sounded sad. Maybe even a little disappointed.

"I figured it was a befitting choice since I spent so much time around a dead person," she quipped.

"Cute. But you're evading the issue."

"I'm not evading, that's more your thing," she countered. "Why are you here?"

"James is back."

"I thought you killed him."

"I failed."

Edward sounded strained.

Pained.

"The new stream of dead bodies; he's responsible for that?"

"Most likely, yes."

She tried to hide her disappointment. He wasn't here for her; he was here to finish what he'd started five years ago. Although, maybe that included her as well.

"So you're here to kill him?"

"Amongst others," Edward murmured.

"There are other reasons?"

"I think you know," he whispered, his eyes burning with every word he longed to say and in that moment, as Bella held his gaze, she read something in his eyes.

He still wanted her. Loved her. Owned her. As she did him.

Could it be true? Did he come back to claim her? And could she claim him in return?

She didn't want to hope; she didn't want to believe he too could feel the cord wrapping itself around them all over again, that he felt the electricity pulsing so strongly she was getting wet and longed to have him bring her back to ecstasy.

Edward rose from the sofa and slowly moved toward Bella. His eyes were filled with caution but there was a soft pleading in his voice when he spoke.

"Don't you know?" He breathed as his arms came around Bella's waist and pushed her against the bookcase behind her. "I came back for you."

And then his lips crashed to hers and his hands found their way to the smooth naked skin of her thighs as he pushed her skirt away.

"Mine." Edward growled.

Bella never argued with him, as her hands found the buttons of his jeans and freed his rock hard cock from its fabric confines.

"Mine." He growled again as he shredded her silk panties with one simple movement.

The pain she felt when he plunged deep inside her without warning was nothing compared to the incredible pleasure she remembered and felt building inside her. He was rough in his pleasure but oddly gentle in his soft caresses and sweet whispers.

"My Isabella."

A part of her hated how he still claimed her. How he still knew how to play her like a fiddle after all those years.

It shouldn't have been like this, he shouldn't have come back.

But her body sang for him. The hole in her chest had healed and her heart – shattered and absent since the day he'd left her behind, felt like it could truly beat again. Like the mere touch of Edward's hard and smooth body against hers was enough to erase the years of agony she'd experienced when he had ripped her heart out.

Edward moved up his pace and the friction between them, the way he pulled out of her slow and then slammed his cock inside her heat again, while his skillful fingers never lost touch with her clit had Bella on the brink of coming in no time.

Edward, not one for subtlety in his current state of arousal pressed his lips against the shell of her left ear, while he fucked her even faster.

"I know you want to scream my name. Do it Isabella; tell me I'm yours, just like you're mine."

She wanted to scoff and tell him to fuck off but her pleasure was building and she started to feel her knees buckling under the weight of her orgasm taking over.

"Say it! Out Loud! Say it!"

The menacing growl and the furious pressure on her clit made her come undone completely, all the anger, emotions and feeling of abandonment poured into a loud cry.

"My Edward!"

That was enough for Edward to shudder violently and spill himself into Bella's warmth. He grunted incoherently as his head collapsed against Bella's shoulder.

"Fuck, Isabella!"

Once he'd calmed a little, he started placing gentle kisses on her neck, breathing in deep to catch the sweetness of her blood and the overpowering bouquet of her fading arousal.

"Mine," he whispered softly as he pulled back to look at Isabella.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he pulled out of her and led her to the blood red sofa where he sat down and placed Bella on his lap.

Parts of her were fine, healed. But there was parts of her that felt like they'd been shattered all over again, because surely one good fuck wasn't enough for Edward to stay with her. In fact it was quite cruel for him to have seduced her when he would only break her heart again before he left.

And this time, it would kill her.

"Isabella?"

"No," she whispered leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm not alright."

This surprised Edward. They had just had mind blowing sex and he wanted nothing more but to bask in the afterglow of it for a bit before reality would come crashing down and he'd have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

"What's wrong?" he urged, his voice cool and collected.

Bella snorted but the sound wasn't one of amusement. "You fucked me and soon you'll send me on my way and disappear again….

…or maybe you'll tell me how unworthy I am first to make sure I am fully destroyed this time before you move on to your next distraction," she spat.

"Like you did last time," she whispered before pushing Edward away and getting up.

But Edward and his vampire speed were no match. He grabbed her arm and yanked her back to him with only the faintest hint of pressure.

"You think I'm leaving?"

"Aren't you?"

"Well once James and his coven are taken care of, yes I am…"

Bella rolled her eyes and tried to push down the building panic. He was going to do it again; he was going to crush her. This time for good.

"You're… you're…" she started stammering.

"I am leaving," Edward reaffirmed. "But not without you."

Bella's eyes went wide in surprise because the words from his mouth were the last ones she had ever expected.

Sure, she had longed for them many times. She remembered the countless times where she had day-dreamed that he would return and beg her for forgiveness, pleading to take him back.

And now he was here, doing exactly that.

"You want me to come with you?" she asked, her voice hesitant because she was afraid to verbalize it, worried she'd misunderstood Edward or that he would change his mind abruptly.

Edward looked at her, his golden-honey and ochre eyes boring into hers.

"Yes, I do."

"But why?" Bella asked. "Five years ago you left me; you told me you didn't want me and now you do? I am… confused."

"I lied. I had to lie. James was wreaking havoc around Forks and the risk of me being in your life was too big. I had to sever all ties to make sure you were safe."

Bella stared at Edward, frowning. He'd left to keep her safe from his kind by leaving? That was a walking contradiction.

For some reason, it pissed Bella off. "So, instead of protecting me, you ripped out my heart and ran, thinking _that_ would keep me safe?" she muttered incredulously. "How courageous."

Edward groaned. "James was after me, I wanted to lure him away," he tried to explain.

"So?" Bella huffed. "You could have lured him away and then come back to me. You could have changed me. There were other options!"

"No there weren't," Edward spat.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yes there were, you were just being a pussy about making the decision. Which makes me wonder; if James hadn't been a threat – and I still think he wasn't a good reason to leave - were you ever going to change me?"

Part of her didn't want to know the answer because if he said no, then nothing had changed and a future together would be non-existent.

"I wasn't ready to take your soul, to claim that final piece of you. Alice saw it, that first night we met. It terrified me to commit such a sin. To create a monster, even one as extraordinary as you would be.

"But then…"

"But when what?" Bella pressed. "What changed?"

Edward leaned in to press his lips against her forehead.

"Nothing. Nothing changed. Every fucking day for the past five years Alice has plagued me with the vision of you as an immortal. You by my side for the rest of eternity."

Bella allowed herself to imagine what that would be like for a few moments and she realized that while the process of transformation would be painful, she still wanted forever with Edward.

As if there had ever been a choice.

"Isabella," he murmured. "I can't live without you. And I belong to you like you belong to me."

"So, this time you'll actually change me?" Bella countered, knowing Edward was still stubborn enough to refuse.

And frankly, this was a deal breaker. After having dealt with death for over five years, Bella wasn't going to join Edward anywhere unless she was going to be tied to him immortally.

"I hate to see you go through the pain of the transformation, but yes. I will change you," Edward vowed.

To put emphasis to his promise he kissed her jugular gently, nipping at the skin a little.

"When?" Bella whispered, her heart starting to pound furiously in her chest.

"How about now," Edward whispered back. He placed his hand over her heart and felt it beating fast. He could smell her fear and wondered if she'd ever be fully ready. Maybe he should reconsider and just spend the rest of her human life with her.

"I… uh… okay."

"Really?" Edward said, his voice hard. "Are you ready right now? Ready for eternity. Ready to never see your father again?"

Bella's face fell. She was aware of the sacrifices but she couldn't quite grasp the enormity of the decision the way Edward could. The pain of a transformation was the least of her worries compared to that.

But then, despite the pain of the venom changing her body and the fact Bella would never see her father again, unless from afar and without his knowledge, the pain of another goodbye to Edward would be much more agonizing than anything else.

"Yes" Bella said, before she briefly pressed her lips to Edward's.

Pulling away she tilted her head so that her jugular was fully exposed and easily accessible to Edward.

"I'm ready."

* * *

><p>Edward Cullen had seen three transformations in his life: that of his mother for all intents and purposes, Esme, and those of his brother and sister, Emmett and Rosalie.<p>

Seeing them writhe against the pain had been terrible, but it was nothing compared to watching the love of his existence experiencing the torment of the venom rampaging through her body. It was absolute terror.

Isabella stayed in his bedroom for three days until she woke up.

Without a heartbeat.

But he instantly knew she was still _his_ Isabella. Forever.

Unfortunately some complications had arisen during Isabella's transformation and the day after Halloween the police had stopped by Edward's office to ask him about Isabella Swan's disappearance.

He'd explained that while the party had been held in his house he had not been there and therefore had no clue what had happened to the girl. He'd said they were free to stop by for possible follow ups but that had proven to be unnecessary.

Two days later they found Isabella Swan.

And to the inexperienced naïve human eye it had looked like she'd been attacked by an animal.

* * *

><p>Charlie Swan had seen many bodies in his life.<p>

Too many.

But the sight of his own daughter Isabella on the evening of her wake, laying on the blood red velvet of the dark wooden casket dressed in her favorable jeans, a t-shirt and chucks ripped his heart out and burned his soul to the ashes he'd seen spread so many times.

He was dead.

As was she.

When the call came – a frantic Jacob who'd told him Bella had gone missing from the party he'd taken her to, he had feared the worst.

And then, three days later, his fear had been confirmed when Bella had been found in the woods with clothes that were bloodied and had been torn to shreds.

She'd become the latest victim of an animal attack and although there had been no specific wounds to pinpoint to an actual attack, the circumstances had fit in with the way previous victims had died.

Charlie, too stricken to perform the embalming ritual on his own daughter had received a surprising call from Forks' former medical examiner Carlisle Cullen who had not only offered his sincere condolences but also recommended an undertaker named J. Jenks who was one of the best.

Charlie sighed and looked at her. J. Jenks had done a good job on her.

In life her skin had been milky white with the occasional warming blush whenever something embarrassed her. In death she was translucent and cool.

And if Charlie would have known better, he would have seen his daughter wasn't like any other corpse he'd seen.

But through the haze of tears and loss, Charlie Swan saw her like all the dead people he'd taken care of and the subtle differences, like the shiny glow of her mahogany hair, the more defined and sculpted curves of her body, the smooth skin with no scratch on it, were invisible to him.

He didn't see her blood red eyes when he turned around to collect himself and his ears were deaf to the soft murmurs of apology and goodbye that lingered on her lips.

The next day Charlie Swan buried an empty coffin, while his daughter, holding her breath and restrained and protected by the arms of her bronze haired angel with his golden-honey and ochre eyes and that lickable jaw, watched as her old life got buried symbolically.

"Forever," Edward whispered.

"Forever," she softly agreed.

**~ the end**

* * *

><p><strong>Special Thanks to my BETA and friend Parama!<strong>

**Check all the one shots and a great collab piece here: www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/7348457/4/Countdown_to_2012_Farewell_to_2011**


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